Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #584348 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 140 pages

Customer Reviews

A prophetic offering that hits home.
These papers may appear disjointed, but on reading within the setting of the book each steadily builds upon the first chapter that I would say provides the basis for much that follows; it is this chapter that provides the title for the book. This series of papers brings together some brilliantly honest scholarship that deals rigorously with the texts of the prophets. Old Testament scholarship for many may be daunting, but what is offered here is more than that. This work adds to or even builds on other works relating to the prophets, such as The Prophetic Imagination, Hopeful Imagination and Finally Comes the Poet. Here is not only biblical- theological insight, but also taking in thought from Luther, Marx to many contemporary matters. These prophetic texts are therefore seen in their historical setting and relevance, but further, they afford us fresh depths of insight gained from some strong readings from a variety of hermeneutical facets. The results in my view cause these texts to be grappled with relevance to the present context, reminding us that more than dusty, yellowing texts; the words actually do explode on whatever the contemporary scene. These are texts that have lingered in our Bibles for long enough, buried in ignorance perhaps or covered in self indulgent 'orthodoxy'. This is meaty stuff in bits and you'll need a pencil as you go, but its well worth lingering on these texts. This is not palatable material per se, but draws you up as a forceful reminder of what a spirituality of resistance has looked like and an aid to listen for the prophetic voice of the text, directing to a God, who alone, gives identity and practices that moved Israel and so the Church to the place and point of newness and freedom. To anyone concerned about the present decline in the Church, this book only adds to the impetus for change. For the discerning reader it will mean a lingering on the prophetic texts that are full of Exodus vitality and point beyond the managed and marketed human initiatives. It will perhaps mean an explosion of words that comes from much needed contemporary prophets.